


A Little Fall of Rain

by moonstruckfool



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Kissing in the Rain, Loss, MACUSA | Magical Congress of the United States of America, Ministère des Affaires Magiques de la France, More angst, Partner Betrayal, Pére Lachaise, Rain, Rappaport's Law
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2019-09-18 01:56:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16985928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonstruckfool/pseuds/moonstruckfool
Summary: three times they lost each other in the rain





	1. some feel the rain, others just get wet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in New York

Queenie never liked rain.

Teenie did, but she didn't. It was wet and cold and depressing. Teenie said it smelled heavenly, especially just after a summer shower, but she didn't smell a thing. And the _wind_ \- how could someone like such an awful thing?

And it wasn't just that. So many things - she'd come to associate rain with a hollow feeling of loss and death.

It was raining when Mama and Papa died. She remembered it, even after so many years. Sitting with Teenie in the waiting room at the wizarding hospital when she was just seven.

_"Teenie, where's Mama? I want Mama."_

_Her older sister smooths back her blonde curls and shushes her. "Mama and Papa will be back soon."_

_"I miss them. Why haven't they talked to us for so long?"_

_"They're just a bit sick, sweetie. They'll be okay soon."_

_Rain is pouring outside the windows, coming down in huge sheets and the rain howls like wolves for meat._

_She shivers. "I'm cold."_

_Tina tightens her grip on her little sister. "I've got you."_

_And then the Healers walk in, grim expressions on their faces that do not bode well._

It rained on Teenie's first day at Ilvermorny, leaving Queenie at the orphanage alone.

_Tina's standing in the rain, looking small and scared. Queenie's never seen her sister like that before. She'd always been strong and like a surrogate mother. This time, she's actually nervous._

_"Teenie, don't go. Please."_

_"I'm really sorry. I have to. I'm going to learn magic so I can protect you!" Tina cracks a smile. "And soon you'll be eleven and you can come to Ilvermorny with me!"_

_"But it's still a very long wait..."_

_"I'll be back during the holidays, okay?" Tina kisses her sister and turns to the kindly old witch who has come to take her to Massachusetts._

_"Bye."_

She doesn't hate rain for no reason.

And now, it's raining again. And it's more than just water.

Newt - Mr Scamander - promised that they wouldn't remember a thing. It did seem cruel to do it without their permission but it's for the best - the magical population in America would be exposed and vulnerable otherwise. Sure, it's for the greater good, and all the others are happy and grateful. But it's different for her. They lose nothing. The No-Majs mean nothing to them. She stands to lose nearly everything once a certain baker touches the water.

Sure, she's had her fair share of flings at Ilvermorny. She was very popular among the boys, famous for her gorgeous blonde curls and green eyes. That was different. She didn't really feel anything for them because she knew they were only after her looks, after her body. Jacob was special - she of all people would know. He appreciated her beauty but never looked at her like she was just a pair of legs. He loved her personality and her tinkling laughter. He looked at her like she was his world - those beautiful big brown eyes filled with adoration. She admired his curiosity about magic and wished with all her heart that he was like her. She wouldn't change anything about him for the world, but life would be easier if he were a wizard.

They stand at the subway entrance to bid Jacob farewell. Queenie can't hold back her tears - none of them can. She listens, moved, as Newt opens up for once and confesses his gratitude to Jacob. Tears stream down her cheeks as she tries her luck one last time.

"I'll come with you. We'll go somewhere - we'll go anywhere - see I ain't never gonna find anyone like-"

"There's loads like me." His voice cracks.

"No...there's only one like you."

They stare each other longingly, both thinking of what could have been. Queenie feels twice the pain, her eyes searching as she sifts through his thoughts.

"I gotta go." He turns to face the rain, wiping at his eyes.

He steps into the rain.

She can't take it, she can't bear losing him. She creates an umbrella with her wand and steps out towards him. She strokes his face, feeling the slight stubble on his chin. He hadn't any time to shave, what with their adventures in the past few days. Taking a breath, she closes her eyes and leans in, kissing him gently.

Finally, she forces herself to pull out of his embrace, continuing to look at him even as they head down the stairs. Tina puts a reassuring hand on her sister's arm, and they walk together. She finally brings herself to tear her gaze away from him.

He's gone. He won't remember.

Damn the rain.


	2. if raindrops were kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in London

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a surprise part 2! I'd thought this would be a one-shot when I first wrote it a year or so ago (published it exactly a year and a day ago, actually), but a recent re-watching of CoG inspired me, and here we are. Part 3 will come soon, so look out for it!
> 
> My eternal gratitude to Alli (bakercrown) and Marie (RedSnow1) for betaing this and cheering me on! You guys are the best!

Jacob stares at the place where Queenie was just moments ago in shock.

"QUEENIE!" he shouts desperately. "I didn't mean it! I didn't say nothin'..." he repeats.

It's raining again. The last time she left him in the rain, she hadn't wanted to.

This time, she's done it by choice. Are his actions unforgivable? Has she left him forever?

He'd never wanted her to stop reading his mind before, but he wishes she hadn't, just for that one moment. She was right - he'd meant it, just for that second, outraged by her accusation of cowardice, incredulous that she'd acted so rashly with no regard at all for their safety. Of course now he regrets it, but the damage has already been done. 

He refuses to believe she's really gone to see her sister; surely she's just Apparated a few streets over to cool down, surely she's waiting for him to come and resolve their fight, surely she hasn't really left him here? Perhaps he can find her, fix things, try to get her to listen to him, and everything will be all right, just like old times.

He starts down Newt's street, the corner just visible through the drizzle.

An hour later, completely drenched and shivering (he's left that darn coat at Newt's house), he resigns himself to the fact that she really is gone. Even if she isn't, she's good as - he can see barely a foot in front of him in the damned rain, let alone find her in this damned maze of a neighbourhood where all the houses are nearly identical. He seems to be cursing a lot in his head recently. Well, he can't bring himself to care. Damn everything. Damn the rain. Damn the bloody law. Damn the fact that he was born different - or that she was. Damn the day they met and all this trouble started - no, he takes that back; not for anything in the world would he want never to have met Queenie, no matter what trials and tribulations it's brought him, he would never want to lose her. He's lost her once already, and he's not doing it again. There are a lot of things he has to take back, he remembers. He runs his hands over his face in frustration, and is reminded of how wet and cold he is.

Wherever she's headed to, he hopes she'll find Tina; she hasn't been in the best state of mind for some time, and resolving her quarrel with her sister might help some.

A few weeks ago, Queenie had come to his apartment in the wee hours of the morning and flung herself into his arms when he opened the door, sobbing, and the only thing he could get out of her was that Tina cared only for her stupid job and didn't give a whit about her sister's happiness. This was so unlike Tina that he'd been sceptical, and the next evening he slipped out on the pretense of running some errands in town and gone to the Goldsteins' brownstone apartment. Tina wasn't there, of course, she was still at MACUSA, working herself to the bone on some case (involving that kid Credence, he remembered her mention once), but he slipped a note under the door saying that Queenie was staying with him and asking her to come to the bakery when she could, hoping she'd go home at _some_ point, before returning to his apartment with some vanilla extract and powdered sugar.

She came at lunchtime the next day, looking flustered and worried. She explained what happened: how she'd tried to gently dissuade Queenie from seeing him when she'd learned of his recovering his memories, how when Queenie had brought up marriage she'd rifled around in MACUSA's archives for records of punishments dealt to wizards and witches caught associating with No-Majs and brought copies home in an attempt to convince her, how Queenie had blown up and accused her of threatening to betray her, and after a heated argument, stormed out into the night, slamming the door behind her.

He'd agreed with Tina; they were already on thin ice with Queenie coming to his apartment and the bakery so often, and if they married and moved in together there would be no chance of escaping MACUSA's discovery. He'd tried to bring it up to her gently, but she'd lost it again ("You've been talking to Teen, haven't you? Now you're against me too!") and he had no choice but to calm her down and avoid the topic for the next few days. He had to persuade her to keep going to work, too ("Why should I work for people who want you Obliviated and me in jail?") by reasoning that MACUSA would suspect something if she suddenly stopped coming in. 

He should have known something was up when she appeared to agree with him the next time he brought up not getting married. It feels like yesterday to him, but seeing as he's now in London, it must have been a few days ago. He still can't believe she would enchant him - that's not the kind-hearted, sensitive Queenie he'd fallen in love with. He knows she wasn't quite in her right mind - but to take away his free will!

He shrugs helplessly, and begins to find his way back to Newt's in the pouring rain. Feeling somewhat guilty that he gave up his search so soon, he wonders how far he's willing to go for her, for them, for love - and how far _she_ will go to be with him...


	3. like the rain i fall for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in Paris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's part 3!!! I'm so excited to share this with you guys. I hope you like it!
> 
> As always, many thanks to Alli and Marie for looking this over for me. You encourage me so much and make my work 10000% better!

Thunder rumbles as Queenie stands forlornly on the street.  Lost and despondent, she looks around, wondering where to go next. She hadn't expected this; how could Tina not be here? She knows it was a split-second decision to come, but she misses her sister fiercely and her argument with Jacob has worn her stubbornness down. She wants Teenie's arms around her again, her voice reassuring in her ear, telling her that she's got her, hush, everything will be all right. Nothing else would matter, it would just be her and Teenie again, just her and Teenie against the rest of the world. She forces herself out of her daydream. Teenie isn't here, although she can't imagine why; she said she was on a case of international importance, and she had written from Paris. The postcard… oh, she must have lost it on the way in her haste, how careless of her! The receptionist at the Ministry was incredibly rude, and unhelpful too. The French seem to be so arrogant and condescending. Or maybe it was just that one woman… she shouldn’t generalise, shouldn’t discriminate, that’s no better than the purebloods, perhaps she’s just not used to their way of communication… She sighs and purses her lips when it begins to rain, glad that she thought to open her umbrella once the sky darkened.  

She's just about to cross the street when she sees a familiar figure - is that Jacob hurrying into the side street? Here? In Paris? He must have come for her!

"Could we at least stop for a coffee…" she hears, and yes, she would recognise that voice anywhere; the voice that sends pleasant chills down her spine when it calls her name, that soothes her to sleep, that rambles on enthusiastically and endearingly about buns and pastries and all things sweet… that was raised at her in anger mere hours ago.

"Not now, Jacob." That must be Newt with him! She whips around and begins to follow them, trotting as fast as she can in her high heels over the wet, slippery cobblestones of Place Cachée.

"Pain au chocolat? Half a croissant, or like, a bonbon?" 

They're moving so fast she's lost sight of them in an oncoming crowd of passers-by, but she must be close now, for she thinks she can hear Jacob's thoughts- 

 _I'm starving, please, Newt, I know we're in a hurry - I'd like to find Queenie just as much as you want to find Tina but I won't be of much use with an empty stomach!_ _It's freezing, too, why is it raining_ everywhere _?_

It's definitely him, he's thinking about her and Tina!

"Jacob!" she cries joyfully.

A wave of regret washes over her; she should never have fought with Tina, never have enchanted Jacob, never have left him in London! What she did was foolish and selfish; she had hurt him in her attempts to have them married. She seems to be hurting a lot of those close to her heart recently. She must make it right - she chases after them; perhaps she can apologise and they can help her find Tina. 

But there are so many side streets, how on earth will she know which one they've gone down? Each is nearly identical to the others, the same grey cobblestones on the ground, the same brick walls lining them; and the never-ceasing onslaught of people obscures her path and view, some of them rushing to get out of the rain, others walking briskly onwards with their collars turned up. She stops, panting, and looks around. They've disappeared, and so have his thoughts. She realises that the drops from the sky seem to be standing between her and the man she loves yet again - one more time too often - and her hate for them intensifies. 

"Jacob?" she calls desperately. 

There is no answer. They've gone. 

The unintelligible chatter of the passers-by grows louder in her ears, as does the sound of the rain pattering on her umbrella. She exhales in panic, breathing heavily, and nearly trips on the curb. She stands stock-still, staring at the rainwater dripping from her umbrella, before staggering to the curb and sitting down on the cold ground, feeling exhausted, scared and alone. 

All of a sudden, she is bombarded with the thoughts and musings of the many minds around her she's previously blocked out, and it's too much, too loud, she's deafened. Her head aches like her brain is twisting around on itself, and she drops her umbrella, letting the rain fall on her, ruining her hair, running down her cheeks, melding with her tears, and puts her hands to her ears in a futile attempt to block out the overwhelming noise. The metal of her mother's engagement ring is unpleasantly cold against her face and she is hit once again with the weight of what she's done to Jacob, to her sister, to them all. She leans forward, choking on her sobs - what has she done? How can she fix it?

A hand lands on her shoulder, grounding her, bringing her back to her senses, and she finally takes her hands off her ears, breathing deeply to calm herself. Jacob must have found her - oh, it's too good to believe; she daren't turn around just yet...

"Madame?" 

That isn't Jacob's voice - it's a woman's - French, some part of her registers. She turns around in puzzlement, her wet, bedraggled curls sticking to her face. A strikingly beautiful woman in an emerald hat returns her gaze, kindness in her almond-shaped eyes.

"Tout va bien, Madame?" she asks again.

Though disappointed, Queenie instantly feels a kinship towards her. She is a lone friendly face in the swelling, squirming mass of people, and her simple touch has chased away the many voices tormenting her. She smiles shyly, wondering what the woman wants of her. 

The rain grows heavier, and neither of them notices it.

  



	4. every storm runs out of rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...and once in fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I decided to post a bonus chapter! I wrote this on the plane home from Scotland at four in the morning and it is the longest chapter I've ever written in my life. I really hope you like it!
> 
> Bless you, Marie, for putting up with my whining and overthinking and general brattiness, and for improving this so much!!! I love you <3

The bricks in a nearby wall vanish to reveal a secret room in the tomb, and Jacob nearly jumps out of his skin.

"Queenie?" he calls cautiously, then, hearing the clamour of a crowd, walks carefully through the door.

It is a huge auditorium, filled with (he guesses) wizards and witches. He looks around in confusion - what are they all here for? Where's Queenie?

He cranes his neck from his vantage point at the top of the stone steps and spots a familiar blonde head and pink coat. Queenie! There's someone with her, showing her to a seat - is there going to be a sort of performance? A speech?

He pushes his way through the crowd, repeating 'excuse me, please excuse me' almost subconsciously, his attention fixed on her.

He reaches her at last, and the wonder and relief on her face as she turns and sees him near brings him to his knees. 

"Jacob! Honey, you're here! Hi!" Her voice is shrill with delight but also - nervousness?

She covers his face in kisses as he mumbles a hello, not quite sure how to talk to her right now. She must have read his mind, for her expression sobers instantly.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry, I never should have done it, I love you so much-"

Moved, he seizes the opportunity to interrupt her. "And you know that I love you, right?"

"Yeah." She beams at him, and he has to remind himself that they're quite possibly in danger (from what, he doesn't know yet) and now is _really not the time_ to snog her senseless.

"Good, now let's get the hell out of here." He begins to move, pulling her with him.

She holds him back. "Oh, wait. Wait a second. I just thought maybe we could hear him first. You know, just listen, that's all."

"What are you talking about?" Confused, he allows her to take his hand and pull him into a place beside her. So there _is_ some speech tonight...but by who? He looks around nervously at all the wizards and witches and tries to ignore the cry of his gut for him to _get out now._

Soon, a shadow appears, walking towards the centre of the room, and the audience claps enthusiastically. It must be beginning; he wonders how long they'll be here. 

Then the figure walks into the light, and Jacob is so stunned that he can't think for a solid five seconds. That's- that's Grindelwald. He knows who he is and that he escaped, Tina told him, but hearing it is very different from seeing him in the flesh, and the gravity of what's about to happen hits him in the face. This must be him recruiting followers, spreading propaganda, trying to get people to join him. And Queenie - Jacob's beautiful _Queenie_ \- wants to listen to him. He regrets not being more insistent earlier, but he didn't know what was happening, and it's too late now. He's sure that if they try to leave now they'll be stopped - and according to Tina, these people have no qualms about using the Killing Curse (he gets the willies at the very idea of it) on innocents, much less those who try to oppose them.

He despises the white-haired man the moment he starts talking (well if he didn't already, he does now). He's smooth-talking, silver-tongued, and very, very flattering. He knows exactly what to say, what the people want to hear, and they'll never know if he's lying through his teeth. Jacob is positive that not a single word that comes out of his mouth is truth - but would Queenie know? He glances at her, and he can't read her expression.

She puts a hand on his chest protectively when the audience boos and chants anti-No-Maj slurs, though, and he's hopeful; perhaps she will see through him. 

But Grindelwald hushes the audience.

"I do not hate them. I do not. For I do not fight out of hatred. I say the Muggles are not lesser, but _other_. Not worthless, but of other value. Not disposable, but of a different disposition."

Jacob frowns and bites back a scoff; surely anyone can tell that this is a load of bullshit - how is 'other' any different from 'lesser', from the way he says it? What is this 'value' he speaks of but won't specify? He does not hate them, so he says. So why have there been reports of attacks on No-Maj families by his followers, all of them unarmed and defenceless and yet not one survivor? He looks around, but everyone seems to be listening intently, and Queenie is smiling. He has a vague sensation of her slipping away from him, and he grasps her hand tighter, squeezing it, just to assure himself that she is with him bodily - but what can be said of her mind?

The man in the middle of the room goes on to talk about how magic is granted to those who live for higher things, and Jacob can feel his blood beginning to boil. Does this not contradict the rhetoric he spouted earlier about No-Majs being different but equal? How is it that no one but him sees the vile, despicable wizard for what he is?

He swears Grindelwald looks specifically at Queenie when he says 'for love', and Queenie smiles back. They must have spoken before, he realises with a shock. How many of his lies has she been indoctrinated with? The discomfort in his abdomen intensifies, and he's quite sure it's not just hunger pangs any more.

He watches uneasily as Grindelwald blows the puff of smoke into the air, and then familiar sounds fill the room - sounds he thought he would never hear again, sounds he had heard for years on end and could recognise immediately. He feels his pulse quicken, and a cold sweat breaks out on his brow. A sort of armoured vehicle rushes towards them, and he shouts and ducks, tugging Queenie with him, forgetting momentarily that it's just a vision. Once he's regained control of himself, he watches as wide-eyed as the others, the whole room silent but for the sounds of gunfire and aeroplanes. He sees the familiar silhouettes of men marching into battle, then is nearly blinded by a bright flash - the entire auditorium gasps - and a huge mushroom cloud looms before them - an explosion. 

Deeply shaken, he whispers hoarsely, "Not another war…"

Grindelwald begins to speak again. "That is what we are fighting. That is the enemy."

But he speaks not of one entity, war, as he made it out to be, but 'they', and Jacob knows, he knows it's the No-Majs the Dark wizard is calling arrogant, lusting for power, barbaric. He can't bring up an argument now - if what he's seen will come true, the man is right, as much as it pains him to admit. He still doesn't know what to think - the violence and loss of the Great War is fresh in everyone's minds, wizard or No-Maj; the very idea that there will soon be another, bigger, worse than the last, is devastating, to say the least. He seethes; Grindelwald is abusing this information, manipulating it to serve his cause; he cares nothing for stopping the war, for saving the hundreds of thousands of No-Maj lives that will be lost. 

There it is - "How long will it take before they turn their weapons on us?"

Jacob sighs with relief when it is revealed that there are Aurors in the room. He watches with the others as they descend, their dark coats and stern expressions somehow comforting. He catches himself - this isn't over yet, and these people have no more love for his kind than Grindelwald does; if he is found, his memory will be wiped and Queenie in jail before he can blink.

He listens with growing fear as Grindelwald skilfully turns the audience against the Aurors, and grits his teeth as the wizard is proved right nearly instantly - Newt's loathing of Aurors is justified, he knows now. Of course, it was in self-defence, but how could the young man know she was going to kill him, and why did he have to instantly resort to the Unforgivable, deadliest curse, the one no one survives?

He can't help but admire Grindelwald's control of the crowd, and once again he is struck with worry for Queenie's safety. The moment this hellhole of a rally adjourns, he'll have them out of there in a flash. Queenie touches his shoulder, and he can't tell if it's out of concern for him or shock at the murder of the young witch.

When the Dark wizard dismisses his audience, Jacob wishes - not for the first time - that he were a wizard, for if there's one thing No-Majs can't do it's Disapparate, and Queenie isn't budging.

As soon as the auditorium has emptied out, Grindelwald draws a circle of fire around himself, presumably for defence, and his acolytes walk through unharmed, but Jacob watches as one of them is swallowed by the flames and realises with horror: only those whose allegiance he possesses can pass through the fire.

Grindelwald confirms this seconds later, and the fire swells in the direction of the Aurors, some of them vanishing amongst the blue flames. Jacob clutches Queenie - they'll never get out of here alive. He spots Newt - he must have come after him! - and meets his eye, terrified. There is a small commotion across the auditorium, and he identifies Credence, a girl with him, pulling him away from the circle. Another one drawn in by Grindelwald's lies… 

"CREDENCE!" Newt yells, and runs toward him, forging his way through the fire with orange light from his own wand. But he is too late - the flames knock him back, and Credence begins to walk through the fire - unhurt. The sobs of his companion echo around the room, and though he doesn't know her, Jacob feels immense sympathy for her - and a sense of foreboding.

Some part of him knows that the inevitable will happen, another part refuses to acknowledge it. He spins Queenie around to face him, his hands shaking, unable to let her go. 

"Queenie, honey. Queenie, you gotta wake up." He almost shakes her, near wild with grief for something that hasn't happened yet.

"Jacob," she breathes, "he's the answer. He wants what we want."

"No, no no no." What's with her? Does she truly believe all the nonsense that was spouted? 

"Walk with me," she pleads. 

He can't- he has no words- he doesn't-

"N-no," he stutters.

Her face twists in a mix of anger and betrayal, and she screams, "WALK WITH ME!" 

Her voice echoes around the room. She immediately gasps slightly, as if startled by her own outburst, and her features twist, pained, as if the Queenie he knows and loves has resurfaced, come to her senses, and he dares to hope… but her face hardens again; whatever she is now has battled against her old self and won, and he knows she is lost to him. She stares at him, disappointment and sorrow in her green eyes - the same soulful eyes that had once looked at him with such tenderness and affection, that darkened when he whispered her name hoarsely in her ear, that held so much depth and beauty -  and he returns her gaze, utterly destroyed. 

He can't stop himself.

"You're crazy," he chokes out.

She turns away from him.

"Queenie...no!" He can't move. His feet are rooted to the ground. 

"Queenie, don't do it!" he calls, but he knows that nothing can stop her now. She walks - the heat of the fire draws nearer - she pauses - she's in the circle. He swallows, and his throat stings as he does it. He puts his fist to his mouth, trying not to choke on his tears. 

Everything is a blue blur. This is what it feels like, then. It's much, much worse than the novels make it out to be; he bends double, panting. This is what it feels like to have your heart shatter into a million pieces. He can almost feel a real pain in his chest, and it's all he can do not to stagger.

Some part of his mind is still listening, and Tina's grieved "QUEENIE!" jolts him back to reality. He's not the only one who's lost Queenie today. She slashes at the flames with a viciousness he's never seen before, and he wants to sob like a child.

But it's not over yet; Grindelwald concentrates the flames on Newt and another man with him - from the perfect synchrony with which they counter the fire and the look of understanding and assurance that passes between them, he guesses they are brothers, and is overcome by another wave of grief - his own brother, his kin, his blood, fallen in the war, killed by the Germans, who laid down his life for nothing, nothing, because one wasn't enough, it isn't over, a mere decade from the Armistice and there's going to be another, larger, bloodier, deadlier - and then a female voice shouts, "Grindelwald! Stop!"

To Jacob's surprise, he complies. He watches with the others as a dark-skinned woman in a magenta dress and cape comes down the steps. 

Newt’s brother scrambles to his feet at the sight of her and fights the flames with a fury and determination Jacob recognises as fierce love, and his heart breaks again for the man. How many will they lose to _him_ today?

For a moment, it looks as if she will follow him, as he talks to her sweetly, offering her his hand. Jacob sees the pain on those features so like Newt's and knows it all too well.

But she doesn't go with him as he releases her and walks back down, and she draws her wand, turning to the two men looking at her. She makes eye contact with them both, Newt and his brother, and says, her voice trembling,

"I love you."

She fires off two spells, and the second one hits one of Grindelwald's acolytes, knocking down the skull the vision was stored in. The fire swirls, fiercer than ever, as he turns to face her, a thunderous expression on his face. 

"Go!" she pleads. "Go!"

Jacob knows what she's doing, and by the look on his face, so does her lover. He goes wild, blasting orange jets of light from his wand and screaming, and Jacob almost turns away, for this is heart-wrenching; there's nothing any of them can do, she's good as gone. 

One flick of his wand and Grindelwald has her vanishing in the flames. Jacob can just see Newt holding the man back as he lets out an agonised yell, and the two of them struggle against each other before disappearing into Apparation. All of a sudden, he's pulled down from behind, and before he knows it he's in another part of the tomb, Tina in front of him, shouting as she fends off the blue fire that has followed them here. He walks blindly towards the flames, unconscious of what he's doing, and they rush towards him - he almost welcomes them - but then Tina has her hand on his shoulder and the flames are momentarily thrown back. 

She pulls them into an alcove, and he presses himself in front of her, shielding her from the fire - Queenie's gone and he can't do anything about it, but he can look after her sister, for her and for Newt, and make sure no one else is lost tonight. His black waistcoat and jacket, previously useful in the cold, are now burning hot and suffocating, and he thinks he may faint, but forces himself to stay alert. 

The fire lets up for just a moment, and he pulls Tina towards the others. They all start up the steps that will take them to ground level, the wizards defending the others - Jacob notices that the girl Credence was with doesn't seem to have a wand either. 

The man from the house - Flamel, Jacob remembers - appears out of nowhere, shouting commands to the wizards. He watches as they spread out in a circle around the Lestrange tomb - the fire has taken on the shape of a dragon - and plunge their wands into the earth with a resounding cry of " _Finite!_ ". A ring of orange fire rises to counter the blue, and the air crackles with the immense power around them. The dragon swerves, trying to get past the orange light, but the wizards hold their ground and it is blocked in every direction. At last, it rises straight into the air, the orange fire following and swallowing it as it goes - the wizards tighten their grip on their wands - and at last engulfing it.

The fires disappear faster than they were started in a shower of orange sparks, and suddenly everything is quiet.

The cold returns, the fire leaving no trace of its ever having existed. Jacob barely notices Flamel's hand on his shoulder as he mops his face, weeping silently, then stares at the suddenly dark cemetery. 

It is a fitting place, for she is dead to him now. He wonders if she'd already started to die, inside, way back when their arguments about marriage first started. 

Whenever it may have begun, it has finished now.

She's gone. The flames have taken her with them.  



End file.
